Science Verification: Comet Garradd (C/2009 P1)

Description

Comet Garradd (C/2009 P1) moves to the Southern hemisphere in October. It will be fairly distant by late 2012 (R~4 AU) but is predicted to be still easily detectable in both continuum and spectral line emission.

Example references: Villanueva et al. 2012, Icarus, 220, 291

Capabilities to be verified

With this target we will demonstrate the Cycle 1 ephemeris capability. Observations will use the 12-m array. Correlator modes to be demonstrated are: mixed, 1spw/BB. Band 3 will be used, covering CO and HCN. Additional functionality to be demonstrated: external ephemeris files, targets of opportunity.

Suitability

This is simply the most active comet known to us at the present time and we need to make such observations to demonstrate the capability of observing objects that use an external ephemeris (planets and major moons use internal routines that are part of the CASA library).